


Those Who Die for Family

by LandOfBreathAndDeath



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Batman: Bad Blood, Just Batfam thingz, Mentions of Rape, Other, batfam, when u almost kill ur family bc ur ex brainwashes you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-08-18 11:04:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8159921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LandOfBreathAndDeath/pseuds/LandOfBreathAndDeath
Summary: For a man who grew up without his family, he's doing a shit job keeping his family safe from himself.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I loved writing this and I loved Batman Bad Blood. Anytime I can give my son Bruce Wayne more angst and internal struggles I will. Plus Batfam is my favorite family because they're all screwed up but they make it work, dammit.

**KILL HIM.**

You grab his leg and fling him to the left. Punch. Dodge. Kick. Block. Punch. Punch. You know these moves because you taught them to him. He rolls with his escrima sticks and you see the opening you need. Forcing him down you strike, your hand breaking his shoulder and he goes down. You never wanted a ward. You regret taking him in. He was an unnecessary drain on your money and energy. It would be much better if you just ended him now. No more support. Alone. Like you want to be. After Dick, Damian, then Kate, Luke, Barbara, Alfred. Jason has already done you the favor of dying.

**KILL HIM.**

_Nightwing will only hinder our efforts, Beloved._ He most certainly will. Together, Talia and you will rule the League of Shadows and bring the earth to the position its most familiar with, on its knees. You raise your foot and he rolls. Damned kid. With a lunge you go after him, twirling his escrima stick. You will use it to kill him. It’s awfully poetic, you think – killing the boy you trained with his own weapon.

The day is not done yet. 

He’s thrown down the steps and you know the day is won. Not done, but won. Down to one escrima baton you force him to the ground with his hands behind his back. Talia throws the gun into your hand and you place it against his temple. Not your son. Easy to kill. Just a circus brat. Faintly, you hear Damian saying something. You’re too focused on the barrel of the gun pressing into Dick’s temple.

“Start with the bastard,” Beloved’s voice calls to you. 

The product of rape. It's so easy to want to kill him. You spin around, pointing it squarely at Damian’s small forehead. The mask helps you focus on his head. You wonder just how much brain would splatter out of his head at this range. Talia took advantage of you. She raped you, and 12 years later left you with a weaponized child. As much of a burden as Dick was, Damian is worse. He’s a demonic brat. You and Talia can start over. She’s promised as much. You become aware of the escrima stick pinning Dick’s head to the floor. He’s talking. He’s talking about family and saying words that are tugging you apart. _Dick. Damian. **Kate. Luke. Family. Family, Bruce. You promised.**_

“You're not just a mask, you're a man. The best man I've ever known.”

YOU DO NOT KILL. _**YOU DO NOT KILL. YOU HAVE A CODE TO PROTECT YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS.**_

You place the gun under your chin. YOU DO NOT HURT FAMILY. Family is all you have. You’re disgusted with yourself. You almost killed your sons. You almost killed Dick. You had a gun pointed at his head and your finger on the trigger and then you pointed it at Damian. Talia starts to scream and wail about how hard her life is. She wonders how she ever loved you and Damian. You should die for what you almost did. These boys have lives ahead of them – you’ve become a monster with nothing. Pull the trigger, end your life and let the boys move on with theirs. You’re a monster.

Damian is staring at you with wide, nervous eyes. 

“I'm sorry.” It's not enough. You nearly killed your family. You are a monster. It’s not nearly enough. But your sons help you back to the manor. Alfred helps Dick carry you to your room.

“-still brainwashed. We don’t know how to disable the programming-“

“-keep him here. No patrols –”

“- guilty. Call Dr. Thompkins-“

Then your world goes dark. You drift in and out for days. Sometimes there’s Dick, other times it’s Damian. Stephanie looks in on you and there’s… Jim Gordon’s daughter? Then Leslie Thompkins is there, shining a light in your eyes and it’s so bright – _Come to me, my Beloved. We can start anew-_

_**Family.** _

_**You have a family. It’s broken and fractured and aggravating but it’s your family and maybe only Damian is blood but Dick, Tim, Stephanie, Jason are yours in every other way.**_

“Bruce?” It’s Dick. You blink slowly and you feel stiff down to your soul.

“Dick,” Jesus, it feels like there’s a flaming log that’s been shoved down your throat. He hands you a cup of ice chips that soothe the fire in your throat.  
“How long?”

“About a week. Dr. Thompkins gave you an IV to keep you hydrated and a catheter. Don’t trying yanking it out, B,” Dick catches your hands.

“Dick…” you notice the sling on his arm. “I am so sorry. I had no idea what I was doing. It was like Talia was inside of me. Her words, her thoughts were driving me. At least when we disappeared for 16 hours I was somewhat aware of what I was doing. She stole me.”

“I know,” Dick whispers, sitting next to you on the bed. “We got you back, B, that’s the important thing.”

“And Damian?”

“He’s… working through it in his own way.”

“I need to see him,” You grunt as you push Dick’s hand away from your chest. “I’ve been through worse. Let me get up.”

“He’s not gonna let you get close to him. Alfred and I are having a hell of a time trying to get him to eat.”

“I nearly killed him – and you.”

“Wasn’t the first time,” Dick whispers.

You can’t help flinching. He’s right, you’ve tried killing him multiple times. It’s part of the reason why you fired him in the first place. But he always came back. You’re grateful for that. You’re grateful for your family. It’s at that moment you make a decision. You decide that you’re going to add to your suit. If ever you get brainwashed, kidnapped, possessed, or end up on hallucinogens that make you kill Dick or Damian or any other members of your family – the suit will deliver a neurotoxin that will incapacitate you for a week.

“I’ll wait for Damian to come to me.” Your voice is hoarse. Dick places his hand on your shoulder. “And I’ll need my phone. I need to call Lucius.”


End file.
